Bran is a low cost food grade material which has found its greatest utility as a cereal fiber source. Recently this has developed increased interest among nutritionists and among consumers in high-fiber food products, particularly in high-fiber ready-to-eat cereals. At the present, grain bran is the principal fiber fortifying ingredient which is relied upon to provide high-fiber content. In fiber-fortified food products, the presence of bran is highly desirous, since it is an excellent source of natural fibers. Recent medical research indicates a diet rich in fiber is desirable and advantageous for the maintenance and a satisfactory functioning of the intestines. It is an important aid to regularity and may be helpful in absorbing bile acids.
The conventional breakfast cereal processing technology generally uses bran as a source of fiber. The use of bran, however, has been limited because of its bitter flavor. The bitter flavor in bran is due to protein hydrolization during cooking and toasting. Some of the short chain peptides formed are bitter as are some of the reaction products from Moillard browning.
To overcome the bitter flavor associated with bran fiber, sugars and other sweetening compositions are coated onto the surface of bran cereal or incorporated into the matrix thereof. Attempts to make bran more palatable is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,382,963 by Ellis, wherein he teaches the incorporation of sugary material with bran resulting in a product that is more flavorful and palatable. The sugary material used is preferably fruits containing considerable amounts of sugar such as figs, dates, prunes raisins and the like. There have also been instances wherein non-farinacious materials were added to cereals. For instance, U.S Pat. No. 2,020,257 by Dickinson discloses the addition of apples, peaches, oranges, tomatoes and the like in a powdered form to the surface of a cereal product such as bran flakes.
The following references disclose the addition of sweetening materials such as sugars or fruit powders or combination thereof to the surface of cereal products.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,153 by Bettman discloses the addition of fruit particles or the liquor of the fruit either as a coating or incorporated into the cereal matrix; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,332 by Leebins discloses the introduction of a powdered fruit into the voids of an expanded cereal product; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,568,162 by Humphrey discloses the introduction of a natural fruit such as apple into the cereal matrix; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,984 by Gilbertson discloses a breakfast cereal coated with a liquid sweetener and/or a fruit flavoring; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,9220 discloses a process for enhancing the flavor impact and mouthfeel characteristics of citrus flavor beverages and desserts by adding an effective amount of a bittering agent selected from a group consisting of naringin, limonin, nomilin and combinations thereof.
The above references teach the addition of high levels of sucrose and other sweeteners either from a natural fruit source such as a powdered or a liquid fruit or from the addition of sugars such as fructose and glucose to mask the off-flavor associated with bran products. None of the above references, however, address the elimination of the bitter flavor associated with cereal such as bran flakes witout the addition of high levels of sweetening composition.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to make a more palatable bran flake.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the harsh bitter flavor notes associated with bran cereals without the addition of high levels of sucrose or sweeteners.
The remaining and other objectives of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the invention.